Page 113 of Monarch

Mari’s eyes flash to Roos and then back to me. “My answer doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, Mari,” I say levelly, even though it feels like a tornado of emotion is building inside my stomach. “It does matter.”

“No, Lex, it doesn’t.” They prop their head up so they are looking down at me. “It doesn’t matter if I think you’re worthy of my love, of our love or not because you’re going to get it anyway.”

“What?” I whisper, breathless.

“Neither of us has ever stopped loving you, and believe me, we’ve tried. We’ve tried on our own and we’ve tried together. It didn’t work.” I feel Roos squeeze my fingers, but I can’t tear my eyes off Mari, the first true friend I ever had and the first person I fell in love with. “And so we stopped trying. I’m not sure when exactly, but somewhere along the line, we both stopped and just surrendered to it, just like you did to us tonight. It’s messy and it’s fucked-up and it’s real and it’s so fucking good.”

“So fucking good,” Roos echoes.

“But it would be even better if you let us love you like we want to, starting now.” Mari’s eyes dip to my lips.

“Now?”

“Yes, Lex. Let us love you.”

“I still have so much more to tell you,” I say. “Don’t you want to know more? Ask questions?”

“Yes,” Mari answers. “And we will. We’ll have plenty of time for that.”

“Plenty of time?” I repeat their words because I have none of my own.

“Yes, because we’re taking you home with us.”

“Home?”

“Home, Lex. Our home. Now roll over and kiss our girlfriend. She’s been waiting a long time to kiss you.”

I swallow around a lump in my throat – a lump I could easily be convinced is my heart. I’m frozen in place, blinking away tears as I look up at Mari. They lean closer.

“Do it, Lex. Kiss our girl.”

For possibly the first time in my adult life, I do exactly as I’m told.

Or not quite because as I roll over to kiss Roos, I grab hold of Mari’s arm, and I take them with me too.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Roos

One Month Later - December

“Such a good girl,” Mari purrs as they lie on top of me.

“Mari, stop,” I warn, holding as still as I can. “You’ll make me… get excited.”

“You’re always fucking…excited,” Lex leans in and whispers in my ear.

“That doesn’t help,” I sigh, resisting the strong urge to squirm.

“Don’t move, Roos.” Mari’s voice is stern, which again is not at all helpful.

“You’re doing so well,” Lex teases with a wicked grin that tells me xe is enjoying every second. “Isn’t she taking it so prettily?”

Mari gives Lex a sly grin, catching on. “Oh, she’s such a perfect princess. She’s taking the pain like a pro.”

I groan, and I don’t care who hears it. There are no walls in Pink Elephant, only beige linen curtains providing division and some privacy between tattoo chairs. With Mari on top of me, and Lex sitting at my side, it was inevitable I would start to feelthingswhile Mari gave me my first tattoo, but still, I didn’t expect to feel this turned on.